Homecoming

This is a word that means different things to different people. To me it is the second Sunday of September. Not just this year, but every year as long as I can remember.
There are certain things you just don't miss: Nannie's birthday, Decoration (you get to pick West Liberty or Palestine), and Homecoming.
Although, I have missed several over the years it is always wonderful when I'm there. I'm not sure who thought up Homecoming, but I am sure it happened long before I was born. This is a day set aside each year where the service is (as Brother Ralph says) AB LIB and anything goes. Everyone currently attending regularly are encouraged to call those family and friends who no longer call Palestine "home" to come "home" for a visit. After Sunday School and more songs than you can imagine, you get a brief sermon and then FOOD! Oh my the food.
This year was especially special. Patty was crippled and Nannie needed help cooking. So she volunteered me. I was more than happy to go along for the memory. She taught me that to cook a ham you need the biggest one in the supermarket and it can't be bought in McAlester. They don't know how to properly cut a ham. You need at least 10 handfuls of brown sugar to properly cure the ham once you have it in the bag. I can also make Nannie's raisin pie and her blackberry cobbler. I promise these items will not be made in my kitchen until after I get on the Honeysuckle Rose in October. =)
I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to Palestine in the past year. That is sad. But we had so much fun. In fact, Patty, Beth and I began planning stuff for next year's Homecoming at the end of this Homecoming. By the way, the tall blonde is Beth Stanfield-Something. I'm pretty sure she and Patty were the same height at some point.

Long Days and Pleasant Nights.